Advisory Board
Eileen Akbaraly
Eileen Akbaraly is an Italian-Indian entrepreneur at the forefront of responsible fashion, transforming the global industry scenario through the Made For A Woman project. Founded in 2019, Made For A Woman is Madagascar’s first social entrepreneurship project led by women, for women: growing up in Madagascar, Eileen was deeply influenced by the stark contrast between the island’s lush natural wealth, rich cultural traditions, and widespread poverty – a contradiction that inspired a life-long commitment to responsible practices.
At the intersection of artisanal savoir-faire, sustainable sourcing, and empowerment through conscious leadership, Made For A Woman blends contemporary design and traditional craftsmanship and champions sustainability in all its practices. The soul of the project lies in a powerful mission: to create lasting and sustainable impact, embodying a commitment to both the people of Madagascar and the planet. Through its work, the brand not only delivers exquisite handcrafted products but also fosters a deeper connection between luxury fashion, empowerment, and environmental responsibility, paving the way for the entire fashion industry to shift to a human-centred, environmentally conscious paradigm for a more equitable future.
Eileen’s dedication to her visionary mission has earned widespread recognition, leading to high-profile collaborations with luxury fashion houses like Fendi and Chloé, as well as numerous awards for sustainability and innovation, including a Fast Company World Changing Ideas award, two top-three finishes at the annual CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards for Human Rights and Best Emerging Designer, a Prix de la Francophonie Économique, and a Visionary CEO of the Year award from the CEO Summit for the Indian Ocean.
Charlotte Hitchcock
Charlotte Hitchcock is a driver of strategic social impact. She has achieved success in the areas of legal advocacy, legislative policy, public health initiatives, and educational management.
In her role as Founder and President/CEO of Global Domestic Advisory Partners LLC, she specializes in providing integrated services to public and private multinational clients engaged in billion-dollar government procurements. Previously, Charlotte led tactical legal initiatives as the General Counsel of ActiveRADAR, a clinical intelligence company that identified therapeutic alternatives for prescriptions.
Charlotte has a long history of deep engagement in public service. She was the General Counsel of Newark Public Schools, the largest school district in New Jersey State. She also served as a Special Advisor and Chief of Staff under two New York State Governors and was appointed as the first Chief Diversity Officer in New York State. As Deputy Counsel to the New York State Assembly Speaker, Charlotte drafted major legislation, affecting 19 million New Yorkers, in the areas of human trafficking, workers’ compensation insurance, minority, women-owned businesses, and healthcare for 911 World Trade Center responders.
Charlotte began her professional career at the Legal Aid Society of New York City where she served as a civil and criminal defense attorney. Among her board appointments, Charlotte has sat on the Board of Directors for the United Nations Development Corporation and the European Humanities University Fundraising Board. Charlotte received her B.A., with honors, from the University of Michigan. She earned her J.D., as a Root-Tilden-Snow Scholar, from New York University School of Law, and received her M.P.H. from Yale University.
Sara Sozzani Maino
Creative Director of the Fondazione Sozzani, she collaborates with numerous educational institutions and is a member of several committees that promote awareness for a more responsible planet. She is part of the advisory board of the Circular Fashion Summit, supporting the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2009, she founded Vogue Talents with Franca Sozzani. Vogue Talents was a project and an international network supporting independent creative talents.
Since 2005, in collaboration with Altaroma, she has curated the Who is on Next? competition, aimed at promoting Made in Italy. She regularly participates as a judge and consultant in various fashion competitions, including the LVMH Prize, Woolmark Prize, Fashion Trust Arabia, International Talent Support (ITS), and many others. Since September 2018, she has been the International New Talents and Brands Ambassador for the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, supporting the new generation of designers. She is also a member of Camera Fashion Trust, founded in 2017 to support Made in Italy designers.
In May 2021, she received the Positive Change Award from the Monte Carlo Fashion Week.
In 2023, she became one of the executive producers of the documentary Junk Armadi Pieni, a six-episode docuseries that sheds new light on the contemporary impact of the textile industry, telling the stories and showing the images of people and ecosystems most affected. The guest and co-author is Matteo Ward, entrepreneur and activist.
Peter Naughton
Peter is known for his purpose led work in the fashion industry which is built from decades of experience, working internationally and back home for some of Australia’s most loved brands.
Menswear Designer County Road , Creative Director Saba , Head of Design Levis and Head Designer for Rabens Saloner Copenhagen are just some highlights of Peter's mainstream fashion career.
Since 2017 Peter has spearheaded cultural textile focused projects across many First Nation organisations around Australia.
Peter has a solid network in the Australian Fashion sector across the creative industries, retail brands, peak bodies, State and Federal Government and in education.
Since 2022 Peter has been running the Kinaway Creative Studio under Kinaway - Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce for Victoria. The stand alone studio in Collingwood hosts photography, printing and sewing programs and also holds a First Nations content creative agency.
Clare Press
Clare Press is writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and a global expert on sustainable fashion. With a background in journalism, previously she was the first ever Vogue sustainability editor.
Her podcast, Wardrobe Crisis, investigates the impact of the fashion industry on people and the planet. Based on her 2016 book of the same name, it is now in its 10th series. She also produced and co-hosted (with Simone Cipriani) three series of the UN's Ethical Fashion podcast, and more recently created a podcast series for Australia's national clothing product stewardship scheme, Seamless.
Press is the author of four books, including Rise & Resist, How to Change the World (2018), and Wear Next, Fashioning the Future (2024). She is currently directing a feature documentary about the importance of trees in urban areas.
Uday Kumar Chaturvedi
Uday Kumar Chaturvedi is a seasoned leader with decades of global experience in the steel industry.
He is the Managing Director of UV Associates, a consultancy specializing in business excellence. Throughout his distinguished career, he has held executive roles, including CEO of Jindal Stainless Ltd., CTO of Tata Steel Europe, and Managing Director of Corus Strip Products UK. Uday has advised governments and corporations on strategic growth, transformation, and operational excellence.
His expertise spans mergers and acquisitions, turnaround strategies, and sustainable business practices. He has also served on multiple boards and continues to contribute to the industry through thought leadership and advisory roles.
Mentor
Rosie Toogood
Rosie Toogood has led supply chain, procurement and quality teams across a range of industries for more than 30 years. She is currently Chief Supply Chain and Quality Officer for Wates Group, the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance company, with annual revenues of more than £2bn. She joined in February 2024 and sits on the Group’s Executive Committee.
Prior to joining Wates, Rosie spent six years as CEO of Legal & General’s Modular Homes business. Before that, she held a range of executive level roles at Rolls-Royce’s aerospace business, held over a 25-year period. Here, she led new product introductions and set up global supply chains to deliver complex engineering products. Rosie has previously held several Board level roles, including Non-Executive Director at Severfield and Derwent Housing Association. She trained with Ernst & Young as a chartered accountant and holds an MBA in Strategy & Procurement.
Rosie has been supporting Saheli Women and Madhu since 2024. She is an integral part of the team, guiding us in our business activities and connecting us with international leaders to promote our mission globally.